5 Simple Somatic Stretches for Beginners
If you’re curious about somatic stretching, here are five beginner-friendly somatic exercises to try. Warren recommends doing each for about five minutes and repeating them daily, to build awareness of how your muscles feel and potentially reap the cumulative benefits of releasing tension.
1. Standing Awareness
Before you do any other somatic stretches, Warren recommends simply standing and bringing awareness to various muscles in your body. Stand up straight with your feet rooted and notice how your feet grip the floor, she says. Try to contract and release those foot muscles. Take deep breaths and notice how your abdominal muscles expand and contract, bringing awareness to how this feels. Finally, scan your body from top to bottom, noticing how your different muscles feel, and especially any areas of tension.
2. Hang Your Head
Stand up straight, with your feet rooted on the floor, Keator says. Slowly hang your head, letting it fall as far down as it will comfortably go. As you do, notice how the muscles in your neck are feeling. Also notice how that neck movement has affected nearby muscles, joints, and tissues, like those in your shoulders and upper back. Identify an area that feels tense (for example, the back of your neck), and really explore (think about) how that tension feels. Notice how it feels to settle into the stretch. Try to release some of the tension you feel.
3. The Arch and Flatten
If you experience back pain, Warren recommends the arch and flatten, which allows you to release and then regain control of the muscles in your lower back and abdominals. It’s a slow movement done lying on the floor. Position feet flat on the floor hip-distance apart with knees bent. Take a deep breath, noticing how the muscles in your lower back and abdominals move as you do. Gently arch your back, bringing your belly upward and pressing your glute muscles and feet into the floor. Stay here for as long as feels comfortable. Then, slowly lower your back and flatten it against the floor. Repeat the movement very slowly, scanning the muscles in your torso for any tension and trying to release it. Watch Warren’s video to see how to do the movement.
4. Iliopsoas Exercise
The iliopsoas is the muscle group that attaches your spine to your legs, and many of us hold lots of tension in it. This progression brings awareness to these muscles and the muscles surrounding them, so you’re better able to release that tension, Warren says. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your right hand behind your head. Gently lift your head as you simultaneously lift your right leg, keeping it bent, about 6 inches off the floor. (This should look a bit like you’re doing a crunch with just one side of your body.) Scan the muscles in your lower back, hips, and legs for tension, and notice how they feel. Gently lower your leg and head. Do the same thing, this time straightening your leg slightly as you lift. Repeat these motions slowly and gently several times, then do the same on the other side. Watch Warren’s video to see how to do the movement.
5. Carpal Tunnel Exercise
If you spend large portions of the day typing on a computer or other device, this exercise may help release tension that may be building in your waist, shoulders, chest, hands, and wrists, Warren says. To do this exercise, lie on your left side with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle out in front of you and your head resting on your left arm (it can be bent or straight). Place your right hand on the ground, resting your upper arm on your body with your elbow bent at roughly a 90 degree angle. Move your right arm up and around your head, so that your right hand is near your left ear and your elbow points straight up. Gently guide your head up to the ceiling with your hand so that the right side of your waist contracts. (This is like a side crunch.) Notice those muscles contracting. When you’re ready, release and move your head back down as slowly as you can. Repeat this once. With your right elbow facing to the ceiling, gently roll onto your back with your right arm behind your head. Bring your left arm out to the side. Crunch your right arm, right shoulder, and head upward and toward the left side of your body. Release and lower your head and shoulder as slowly as possible. Repeat all these movements on the other side. Watch Warren’s video to see how to do this sequence.
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Now, let's dive into the concepts mentioned in the article "5 Simple Somatic Stretches for Beginners."
Standing Awareness
The first exercise mentioned in the article is called "Standing Awareness." This exercise involves standing up straight with your feet rooted and bringing awareness to various muscles in your body. By contracting and releasing the foot muscles, noticing the expansion and contraction of the abdominal muscles during deep breaths, and scanning the body from top to bottom, you can become more aware of how different muscles feel and identify areas of tension.
Hang Your Head
The second exercise is called "Hang Your Head." In this exercise, you stand up straight with your feet rooted on the floor and slowly let your head hang down as far as it comfortably goes. While doing this, you can observe how the muscles in your neck feel and how the movement affects nearby muscles, joints, and tissues, such as those in your shoulders and upper back. By exploring the tension and gradually releasing it, you can experience the benefits of this stretch.
The Arch and Flatten
The third exercise mentioned is called "The Arch and Flatten." This exercise is particularly recommended for those experiencing back pain. It involves lying on the floor with your feet flat on the floor hip-distance apart and knees bent. By gently arching your back, bringing your belly upward, and pressing your glute muscles and feet into the floor, you can release and regain control of the muscles in your lower back and abdominals. Slowly lowering your back and repeating the movement while scanning for any tension can help in releasing it.
Iliopsoas Exercise
The fourth exercise is the "Iliopsoas Exercise." The iliopsoas is a muscle group that attaches your spine to your legs, and tension often accumulates in this area. This exercise involves lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. By lifting your head and right leg simultaneously, you can bring awareness to the muscles in your lower back, hips, and legs. Slowly lowering your leg and head, repeating the motion with slight leg straightening, and then performing the exercise on the other side can help release tension in these muscles.
Carpal Tunnel Exercise
The fifth exercise mentioned is the "Carpal Tunnel Exercise." This exercise is particularly beneficial for individuals who spend a significant amount of time typing on a computer or other devices. It involves lying on your left side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle and your head resting on your left arm. By moving your right arm up and around your head, you can contract the right side of your waist, releasing tension in the waist, shoulders, chest, hands, and wrists. This exercise is then repeated on the other side.
Remember, these exercises are described in the context of somatic stretching for beginners. It's always important to listen to your body and consult with a healthcare professional or a qualified instructor if you have any concerns or specific conditions.
You can find more somatic stretching exercises online or refer to the videos mentioned in the article for a visual demonstration of each exercise.
I hope this information helps you get started with somatic stretching exercises! Let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with.
